McCrory: ‘People Are Reluctant To Hire Me’ Because Of HB2

Former North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory (R), who signed a controversial law limiting local governments’ abilities to pass anti-discrimination ordinances for gay and transgender people, said in an interview last week that he was having trouble finding work as a consultant because people saw him as a “bigot.”

During an appearance on an episode of WORLD magazine’s “Listening In” podcast, McCrory said that LGBT rights groups like the Human Rights Campaign had organized an effective opposition campaign to that law, House Bill 2, by pressuring large corporations with boycotts, among other things.

“It’s even impacted me to this day, even after I left office,” McCrory said. “People are reluctant to hire me, because, ‘oh my gosh, he’s a bigot,’ which is the last thing I am.”

According to the Raleigh News & Observer, which surfaced the interview Monday afternoon, McCrory has looked for work as a consultant.

“I’ve currently accepted several opportunities in business to do work that I’d done prior to becoming governor in consulting and advisory board positions, and I’ve also been exploring other opportunities in academia, nonprofits and government,” he told the paper. “And I’ll hopefully be making some of those decisions in the near future.”

Days before McCrory’s successor, Democrat Roy Cooper, took office, it appeared as though state legislators in North Carolina and Charlotte City Councilors had reached a deal that would lead to the repeal of HB2. Charlotte’s anti-discrimination ordinance was the original motivation for the state to go after LGBT anti-discrimination protections.

However, the legislature adjourned a special session on Dec. 21 with no such compromise having been met.

McCrory’s comment Friday wasn’t the only time he’s accused liberal activists of ruining his reputation.

In an earlier appearance on the same program, surfaced again by the News & Observer, he said, “If you disagree with the politically correct thought police on this new definition of gender, you’re a bigot, you’re the worst of evil.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Matt Shuham is a news writer for TPM. He was previously assistant editor of The National Memo and managing editor of the Harvard Political Review. He is available by email at mshuham@talkingpointsmemo.com and on Twitter @mattshuham.